All across America, families always gather on the fourth Thursday of November, a homely celebration of harvest-season treats – traditionally turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes. This year, Thanksgiving falls on 22 November, and those who can’t fly back to be with their loved ones can tuck into a fine feast here in Budapest. Top-notch hotels also provide a riverfront or panoramic setting, and some deliver prime turkey dinners across the city.
Thanksgiving at peppers!, the signature restaurant at the Budapest Marriott Hotel, involves a huge range of starters, the salumi selection of Italian cold cuts echoing the restaurant’s Mediterranean character. Main courses include honey-glazed Virginia ham, and monkfish with lime-and-chorizo butter. There are vegetarian choices too. Pumpkin pie then follows. The price of 16,390 forints (plus a 12% service charge) includes house wine, beer and hot drinks.
On Thanksgiving Day, InterContinental’s Corso Restaurant sets up a carving station with stuffed turkey, cranberry sauce, cornbread and gravy. Starters, soups, mains and desserts also feature. Dinner starts at 7pm and costs 14,900 forints.
#sharethelove is the motto of the plentiful Thanksgiving gathering taking place at Bestia, a snazzy dining destination by focal St Stephen’s Basilica. Groups of four can take advantage of a rôtisserie grilled baby turkey accompanied by fine Hungarian craft beer on tap. There’s also pumpkin cream soup and pumpkin pie.
A traditional yet very special Thanksgiving menu is being offered at the Buffet Dinner event of the Icon Restaurant within the Hilton Budapest in the panoramic Castle District on Thanksgiving Day, where the price of 15,900 forints also includes a welcome drink, wines, sundry refreshments, coffee, tea and a 10% service charge.
Other hotels prepare your feast for you to enjoy at home. Between 20 November and 1 January, holiday turkey is available for takeaway at KOLLÁZS within the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace – the package comes with cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, winter vegetables, forest-mushroom ragout and a fruit pie and costs 59,000 forints.
The ÉS Bisztró at the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest is thinking along the same lines, offering table-ready whole roast turkey or goose with all the trimmings, for 38,500 and 31,500 forints respectively, for six to eight, and four to six people, plus a delivery fee of 8,000 forints. The price includes pumpkin-cheese pie and a bottle of wine. The offer runs from 22 November until 19 December.
